One of the Guys
by Lisa Aldin
Genre: YA, contemporary, romance
Expected publication: February 10th 2015 by Spencer Hill Press
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon
* Barnes and Noble * Book Depository
* Barnes and Noble * Book Depository
Blurb (Goodreads):
Tomboy to the core, Toni Valentine understands guys. She'll take horror movies, monster hunts and burping contests over manicures. So Toni is horrified when she's sent to the Winston Academy for Girls, where she has to wear a skirt and learn to be a lady while the guys move on without her.
Then Toni meets Emma Elizabeth, a girl at school with boy troubles, and she volunteers one of her friends as a pretend date. Word spreads of Toni’s connections with boys, and she discovers that her new wealthy female classmates will pay big money for fake dates. Looking for a way to connect her old best friends with her new life at school, Toni and Emma start up Toni Valentine’s Rent-A-Gent Service.
But the business meets a scandal when Toni falls for one of her friends--the same guy who happens to be the most sought-after date. With everything she's built on the line, Toni has to decide if she wants to save the business and her old life, or let go of being one of the guys for a chance at love.
My Thoughts:
*This review is based on electronic advanced reading copy. There might be some changes with the finished copy.
I really enjoy best-friends-to-something-more and one-of-the-boys stories. There's something magical in it that makes the story more cute and romantic. And One of the Guys is one of the products of my hunt.
Toni was "tomboy to the core", as the blurb put it. Her being tomboy was justified in the beginning, even when she was sent to the all-girls school. However, she began to change physically and emotionally on the middle of the book when she started to hang out with a new friend--which is a girl--and feel weird feelings towards her guy best friend. I don't think Toni had a consistent personality. She was described as tomboy and cringes at nail polishes and skirts (she even wear basketball shorts under her new school uniform skirt). She'd rather spend her time with the boys and do boy stuff. But she wasn't able to hold that personality until in the end. I mean, it's okay to change and embrace her feminine side but she appeared as inconsistent to me. It was so easy for her to agree on upgrading her Halloween cow costume into a sexy one, wear make-up, and nail polish. You'd think it would take a great time and effort to convince a tomboy to the core to wear that stuff. She also acted like a kid. I don't like that sometimes she sounds immature.
Despite the things I didn't like about Toni, I found myself relating to her. I'm not one of the guys, I enjoy skirts, and other girly stuff, but I don't like wearing nail polish, either. You know, not only that of course, but other random things. I can also understand her on her fear of change. Like when things happen, when people go, when time flies. It's hard to catch up and be the same and make other things and people remain the same. The feeling that you just want to hold everything in your hands and will it to stop growing or going on. Yeah, that's one heck of an emotion right there.
I wanted to know Micah more. Sure, from Toni's perspective, he's caring and kind friend but other than that and being sweet, I don't think I know him. There was a connection between them but it also felt like it could be better. The plot was simple but the date for rent was a new thing and it came as a plus. The story, the ending, could be better, though. There's something lacking in their relationship/progress/overall story.
One of the Guys was fun, enjoyable, and light read. Sometimes funny and cute. There are things that I like, things that I don't, and things that I wish could be more. It was between more-than-average to not-really-more-than-average. I guess it falls to I liked it read.
Despite the things I didn't like about Toni, I found myself relating to her. I'm not one of the guys, I enjoy skirts, and other girly stuff, but I don't like wearing nail polish, either. You know, not only that of course, but other random things. I can also understand her on her fear of change. Like when things happen, when people go, when time flies. It's hard to catch up and be the same and make other things and people remain the same. The feeling that you just want to hold everything in your hands and will it to stop growing or going on. Yeah, that's one heck of an emotion right there.
I wanted to know Micah more. Sure, from Toni's perspective, he's caring and kind friend but other than that and being sweet, I don't think I know him. There was a connection between them but it also felt like it could be better. The plot was simple but the date for rent was a new thing and it came as a plus. The story, the ending, could be better, though. There's something lacking in their relationship/progress/overall story.
One of the Guys was fun, enjoyable, and light read. Sometimes funny and cute. There are things that I like, things that I don't, and things that I wish could be more. It was between more-than-average to not-really-more-than-average. I guess it falls to I liked it read.
*Thanks to Spencer Hill Press for the review copy in exchange of an honest review!
Rating:
Hm, I am always unsure about contemporary romances because it is not a genre I read too often. But this sounds like a decent one, and I love the best friends to more romances as well. They're so cuteeee. :) It's a shame there was a character you wanted to see more of, but at least the ones you even didn't like were still easy to relate to!
ReplyDeleteThanks for droppin by, Olivia!
DeleteI hope you'll still give this a try. You might like it better. :)
This sounds cute! The blurb and your review made me think this book might be similar to Kasie West's books (The Distance Between Us/ The Fill In Boyfriend). I think I will add this to me TBR list. I like stories like this, too! :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, this book actually reminds my of Kasie West's book (though neither of those you mentioned), On The Fence. The protagonist was one of the boys, too, and a best-friends-to-something-more story. You should check that out also. I loved it! :)
DeleteThanks for droppin by!